Bottle-dispensing refrigerator



Otzt. 30, 1928.

J. E. SPP

BOTTLE DIsPENsING Rammmwl Filed April 2. 192s 2 sheets-sneer `1 Oct. 30,1928. 1,689,256

` J. E. sAPP BOTTLE DISFENSING REFRIGERATOR Filed April 2. 1928 v 2Sheets-Sheet 2 i1, Ik

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Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. SAPP, 0F BAIQNBRDGE, GEBGIALASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PERRY D.RICH, OF IBAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA..

4 BOTTLE-DISPENSING BEFRIGERATOR.

Application led April 2, 1928.' Serial N0. 266,684.

My invention relates to improvements in bottle dispensing refrigerators,and particularly to that type wherein there is provided a plurality ofU-shaped channels through which the bottles are adapted to be passed,each bottle being inserted in the channel at one end and being forcedthrough the channel and out the other end by the insertion of succeedingbottles.

In the above type of refrigerator, it has been customary to form thechannels of tubular shape and to insert the bottles endwise or end toend inthe channel. With such an arrangement, difficulty has beenexperienced in dispensing the bottles due to the same jamming in thechannels. Moreover, with such usual construction, the bottle capacity ofeach channel is quite limited and the arrangement of the bottles is suchthat maximum cooling eilect cannot be attained in a minimum amount oftime.

I overcome the above objections by forming the channels of substantiallysemi-cylindrical form so as to accommodate the bottles in horizontalside by side relation instead of end to end relation, thereby increasingthe bottle capacity of each channel and insuring easy feeding ofthebottles through the channels in such manner as to reduce breakage to aminimum and insure maximum cooling in a minimum amount of time. v

By reason of the present improvement, the nested channel-forming t-ubsmay be cheaply and conveniently formed of curved strips of metal of flatcross section throughout instead or' from corrugated tubs which areusually provided to form tubular channels, thereby enabling the presentconstruction to be most economically manufactured in extremely sim pleand durable form.

A further obj ect of the present invention is to provide simple andeflicient means for ejecting the bottles at corresponding ends' ot thechannels to permit the operator to readilv grasp the deslred bottle.

vA still further object is to provide means for permitting dispensing orejection of the bottles at 'either end of the channel to permit servingof a slightly cooled bottle or a quite cold bottle to the customeraccording to his desire.

Other objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention isbetter understood, and the same consists in the novel form, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a bottle dispensing refrigerator'embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view partly in end elevation looking toward the right ofFigure l and partly in vertical section; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentarv detall View partly in verticalsection and partly in elevation, showing details of the ejecting means.

In the structure illustrated, I provide a suitable box or casing 5carrying an outer imperforate semi-cylindrical tub 6 and a plurality ofperforated inner tubs 7, 8 and 9 which are nested in spaced relationwithin the outer tub 6 so as to form a plurality of water-communicatingU-shaped or semicylindrical passageways l0. The tubs are all in thenatureof curved strips of flat cross section throughout and/ofsuflicient width to accommodate one or more rows of bottles 1 1 inhorizontal side by siede contiguous relation as shown clearly in theseveral views. As shown, the tubs are of sufficient width to accommodatetwo rows of bottles (Figure 3), the rows being separated by a suitablepartion 12 vertically disposed intermediate the front and back walls ofthe casing 5. It will thus be seen that each passage or channel isadapted to contain a maximum'number of bottles, many of which are at alltimes located in the lowestportion or coldest zone of the passage orchannel, thereby insuring maximum cooling in a minimum, amount of time.Furthermore, as the bottlesare arranged in smooth runways or channels inhorizontal side by side relation;4 they will readily roll and slidefreely so as to insure easy feeding of the bottles through the channelswithout causing breakage.

The space within the innermost t-nb 9 forms a chamber 13 for thereception ofcrushed ice whereby the Water maintained at the requiredlevel within all of the passages or channels the ice chamber 13, andthis door is hingedas at 15 to swing upwardly and rearwardly forpermitting most convenient access to the channels 10, the same beinghinged as at 19' at the back edge thereof to swing upwardly andrearwardly to open position. It will be understood that the covers 16and 18 will automatically lower or close by gravity when released, anddue to their directon of swinging in opening, free access is had to thepartially ejected bottles. Moreover, when the bottles are raised atcorresponding ends of ,the channels or passageways, the uppermostbottles in the rear rows will press against the adjacent door so as toautomatically swing it upwardly to open position as shown by dottedlines in Figure 3.

In the normal use of the device the bottles are to be inserted in theends of the channels at the right of Figures 1 and 2 and to be ejectedfrom the ends of the channels at the left of these figures in extremelycold condition. However, in some instances, it is desired by a customerthat the bottle goods be only in a slightly cool condition, and in ordertoaccommodate such customers, the present device permits dispensing ofthe last-inserted bottles from the ends f the channels at the right ofFigures 1 and 2. For this purpose ejectingmeans is associated with bothof the covers 16 and 18.

` In order to move the rows of bottles through the channels 10 in eitherdirection ejecting means is associated with both of the covers 16 and18, and as these ejecting means are identical in construction,description of one will sufice for both. As shown, each ejecting orbottle moving device consists of a plurality oi' vertical push rods 20slidable through the associated cover 16 or 18, one for each bottlechannel, and rigidly connected at their upper ends for simultaneousoperation as at 21, heads or enlarged portions 22 being provided uponthe lower ends of the push rods 20 to contact with the end bottles inthe rows or channels. Spring means as at 23 may be provided to normallyyieldingly elevate the ejecting devices or push rods 2O to inoperativeposition, and it will readily be seen that when one of the ejectingdevices is depressed manually the several rows of bottles will be moveda slight distance through the channels 10 so as to cause partialejection of a bottle at the opposite end of each of the several rows andsimultaneous opening of the opposite door so that the desiredbottle maybe readily grasped and removed. If an eX- tremely cold bottle of goodsis desired thel ejecting device at the right will be manipuvto beunderstood that whenever a bottle is removed from any row, anotherbottle is inserted in that row to take the place of the removed bottle,the duly inserted bottle being always introduced at the end of the rowat the right hand side of the refrigerator as viewed in Figures 1 and 2.rl`he spring 23 is preferably employed about the intermediate push rod20 of the three push rods for each of the three front and rear rows ofbottles as shown clearly in Figure 4, and a tube 24 houses each springand is movable with the push rod downwardly into engagement with theassociated cover 16 or 18 to limit the downward movement of the rods 20and correspondingly limits the ejection of the bottleto partial ejectionas indicated by dotted lines in Figure. In this way the bottles are notcompletely forced out of the ends of the channels refrigerator to becomeaccidentally broken.

Minor changes ma-y be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is: 1. A bottle refrigerator comprising a caslng,and a plurality of semi-cylindrical tubs nested in spaced relationwithin said casing to form water-communicating U-shaped channels throughwhich rows of bottles are adapted to be passed in horizontal side byside relation, a single hinged cover for the intake ends of all oi' thechannels7 and a manually depressible ejecting device carried by saidcover -for simultaneously moving all of the rows of bottles andpartially ej ecting a bottle at the delivery end of each of saidchannels.

and cannot roll out of the 2. A bottle refrigerator comprising a casing,and a plurality of semi-cylindrical tubs' iso ` rods.

\nels through which rows of bottles are ada ted to be passed inhorizontal side by side re ation, a single hinged cover for the intakeends of all of the channels, and a manually depressible ejecting devicecarried by said cover for simultaneously movin all of the rows ofbottles and artially e]ecting a bottle at the delivery enti of each ofsaid channels, said ejecting device embodying push rods verticallyslidable through said cover and having members on their lower ends'tocontact the uppermost bottles inthe rows, means rigidly connecting theupper ends of said nd yieldable means to normally e push rods. y g l 5.A bottle refrigerator com rising a casing, and aplurality ofl-semi-cyindrical tubs push rods, evate said nested in spaced relation withinsaid casing to form water-communicatin U-shaped channels through whichrows ofg bottles are ada ted to be passed in horizontal side by side reation,as1ngle cover for the normal delivery ends of said channels, andal single cover for the normal intake ends of said channels,'said 40covers being hinged to swing u wardly and rearwardly to open position anarranged to be swung open by bottles moving to partially dislchargedposition from certain of said channe s.

6. A bottlerefrigerator com rising a casing, and a plurality of semi-cyindrical tubs nested in spaced relation within said casing to formwater-communicating U-shaped channels through which rows of bottles areadapted to be passed in horizontal side by side relation, a single coverfor the normal delivery ends of said channels, and a single cover forthe normal intake ends of said channels, said covers being hinged toswing upwardly'and 55 rearwardly to open position and arranged to beswung open by bottles movingto partially discharged position fromcertain of said channels, and an e-'ecting device carried by each ofsaid covers a apted for selective operation to simultaneously move therows of bottles in either desired direction through said chan- JAMES E.SAPP.

